---Tsukiko's P.O.V---

This is it. I'm finally here. I've spent ages searching for my old crew, especially Meliodas. He's actually the leader, and my boyfriend. We've got some things to discuss, like how it's been literal years and he hasn't tried to contact me at all.

I walked into town, the breeze blowing my dark leather cape behind me.

I don't even need this damned thing. Nobody knows about the Eighth Sin, the Cat Sin of Curiosity.

As I stepped forward, I heard the shouting before I could see the people. There was a large crowd gathered. As I moved closer to see what was actually going on, a small child bumped past me. He was a boy, no older than about twelve with spiky blonde hair.

"What's with all this pathetic moaning and groaning, you guys? Some Holy Knight's sword stuck in the ground is nothing! This would be a piece of cake for my buddies, the Seven Deadly Sins." He shouted, grinning. I felt my dark ear twitch from under my cloak.

SEVEN Deadly Sins? Obviously he knows nothing.

He looked to be nothing more than a poor village boy anyways. He's probably lived his whole life in Vanya, experiencing nothing of the other world.

"That's enough, Mead! Whose fault do you think it is that we're in this fix?! Of all the things to say! Why bring up those criminals?" An elderly woman shouted at him.

"She's right! Don't make the Holy Knight any angrier!" A man added.

"Do you have a grudge against us?!" Another man shouted. Before I knew it, the whole crowd was shouting at the boy as he struggled to defend himself. I watched as a familiar head of blonde hair ushered the boy out of there.

Meliodas? It can't be. Was I truly right?

I pulled my dark leather cloak tighter around me and followed them back to a tavern atop a hill. Perfect! I could go for a drink right about now anyway.

I stood outside for a minute as I listened in on the conversation. It was uneventful, with Meliodas coaxing the boy to answer his questions with terrible food. I listened in as Meliodas asked about Eight Deadly Sins.

"Eight? But there are only seven!" The boy mumbled.

That's my cue.

I threw the door open. "Wrong. There are Eight."

I watched as Meliodas's eyes went from confused and interested to amazed and ecstatic.

"Tsuki! You're here! It's been a while, huh?" He grinned. I felt my face flush with anger. It's been years and THAT'S all he has to say?!

"Don't. Even. Start." I hissed at him through my teeth. "What's your deal, kid?" I asked him curiously.

"Who are you?" He narrowed his eyes at me. I crouched down to his height.

"Listen, when I was little, I was just like you. I always ran around with my friends and pulled dumb pranks. And then, something bad happened. As it usually does." My green eyes stared into his brown ones.

"What happened?" He asked nervously. I smiled.

"You tell me your story first." I tilted my head.

"Fine." He sighed, relenting. Good. "I don't lie and stuff to get a rise out of people, you know. My mom and dad were travelers. But when we made a stop at Vanya a few years ago, they both died from a disease. The people of the village took me in and raised me as their own. I was really happy. But I wasn't anybody's real family. I got jealous of everybody for having what I didn't. So I started lying and playing pranks." He explained, his eyes starting to overflow with tears. Behind me, a girl entered in the middle of his story. I wanted to turn and face her, but I didn't want to interrupt him.

"Is that why you put the bug in the Holy Knight's drink?" She asked. Her voice was soft and sweet. A village girl perhaps? No, I don't think so.

"No! I did it because that Knight treated everybody like crap! The adults and kids go through a lot of time and trouble to make that ale! And that jerk insulted us!" He yelled. I rested a hand on his shoulder. When he looked up at me, I took my cloak off to reveal two furry black cat ears. His eyes widened in surprise.

"My parents were killed too, but not by a disease. It was the Holy Knights." I began. "I lived in a small village full of Cat-kin, or Nekoi in our language. We were very rare, as we lived in closed communities. One day, Holy Knights passed through. They realized that they had just about stumbled upon a gold mine, as we were very valuable on the Underground Market. Many of my people were either killed or stolen, and it was all my fault." I sighed. I still remember it like it was yesterday.

"Come on, Rin! If we make it now, we can still catch the Holy Knights!" I smile, looking at my younger sister. She's so cute, with her big blue eyes and messy black hair.

"I don't know Tsu...Mama said that it was dangerous. Even the Elder said so! We should leave them alone." She says shyly.

"Aren't you curious?" I grin, grabbing her by the arm. We run through the forest until we hear the armored footsteps of the Holy Knights. I'm so excited! Finally, someone other than the Nekoi that live here!

I keep running and Rin tells me to slow down, but I don't listen. Suddenly, I lose my footing on a wet rock and slip. I go tumbling down the hill and right into the Holy Knights' path. The man stared at me with big, big brown eyes. He looked different than everyone in the village. His eyes were bigger and his features weren't as sharp. All of a sudden, I began to feel very, very afraid. I think this was a mistake. A really, really bad mistake.

I rubbed my eyes, trying to dismiss the memories. I still remember the flames against my skin, the chains against my wrists, the burning in my legs as I ran as fast as I could away from my dying village.

"So, moral of the story, always be careful. One day, you'll make a mistake that you'll regret. And you'll hurt people that you don't want to hurt. Be good, and everything will work out." I patted his head and turned around. My face burned with embarrassment. I could feel everyone's curious stares on my back.

I'm an idiot. While I was telling the stupid story, I forgot that Meliodas was there. Nobody was supposed to find out, not King, not Diane, not him.

We hear shouting coming from outside in just the nick of time. I put my hood up and leave without another word. As I walked down the hill I felt Meliodas's firm hand on my shoulder.

"Tsukiko, wait." He said. I felt tears sting at my green eyes. Oh come on, not now!

"You're leaving already? I didn't even get a proper goodbye." I heard the frown in his voice before even turning around.

"I didn't even get a proper hello! How long has it been, Mel? How long." I said angrily, my voice calm and firm.

" Ten years." He said softly.

"That's right. Ten years. Apart from my boyfriend. Does that word mean anything to you?" I stepped forward, lashing out. Boy, am I angry now.

"It means everything to me." He said, looking down.

"Obviously not, you blundering drunkard. Why don't you knock back a few more beers and see if you can remember me better then?" I said, poison dripping from my voice. I shouldn't be doing this here with him right now. There were people in the village that needed help.

"That was unnecessary." He said.

It was.

"It wasn't." I said coldly, turning away from him. "Go help the village. They need someone right now." I began walking.

"So do you." He offered. I said nothing. He took my silence as a no. "Will you still be here when I get back?" He sighed.

"I don't know." I snapped and ran off. I saw him walk towards the village out of the corner of my eye. Good.

After taking some time to myself, I decided to go back and see if he really helped or not. After pushing through the crowd, I saw Meliodas holding the sword in the air triumphantly as the town cheered. I watched him talk to Mead and the whole town enveloped Mead in a hug.

"You can lie to yourself all you want, but you can't fool your heart." I heard him say. Wise words. The pretty girl with silver hair stood beside him. It seems like he found himself someone new. I wish them well. I walk out of the town.

Where will I go next? Maybe I'll go to the next town, or maybe I'll find King. Maybe I'll find nobody at all, and I'll close the Eight Deadly Sins chapter of my life. Then it really would be the Seven Deadly Sins. I walk into the forest as the sky begins to fill with an orange-pink kind of color.

"Hey." I heard that familiar voice behind me. "Back at the tavern, I heard everything you said."

I feel a twinge of sadness and fear deep in my heart. He'd better not tell anybody.

"I know." I said without turning around.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked me. His voice sounded soft, a bit concerned. Ah, my favorite part of him. This was the Meliodas that nobody else knew. The soft, gentle Mel. Not the loud jokester.

"No." I shook my head. I scuffed the grass with my feet.

"Yes you do. Turn around." He ordered me.

"Oh shut up. You're going to go tell everyone that I'm a murder now, aren't you? Tell everyone my story, my sin." I said coldly. When everyone finds out, they won't talk to me anymore. Ban might. King definitely won't. The thought of King ignoring me makes me more upset than it should.

"Why would I say that?" He asked, prodding me.

"Because I killed my family, my friends, my entire village! It's all my fault!" I yelled at him. Tears fell down my face as I remembered everything. The memories felt so real. It was almost as if I looked up, I'd be there again.

The glow of the burning village houses makes a pretty red-orange color against the dark sky. I look around and see my friends, my family being shoved into carts. The Holy Knights grab my father by his ears and I shut my eyes, curled up in a ball. Please, take me away from here. Away. Away. I feel a hand on my shoulder and I look up. It's Hiroyuki, my best friend.

"Hiro! We need to get out of here!" I cry into his arms.

"You're right. I want you to run and I'll make a distraction. You can escape." His determined green eyes stared into my teary green ones.

"What about you? Rin? Everyone else?" I frown nervously.'

"I'll figure it out. Come on now, you can do it. You've got to run on the count of three, okay?" I looked around to see the large hole in the back of the cart that Hiro must have broken through to even get in here. He's cut the chains around my feet and hands. I hear him counting up to three.

One.

I want to scream. I don't want to leave him behind. I'll be all alone out there, all alone!

Two.

What about Mama? And Papa? And Rinny? What about them? I can't leave them behind!

Three.

A cross between a scream and a guttural growl erupts from Hiro's lips. I watch as the Holy Knights throw open the cart door and grab him as I slip through the hole. I can hear him shouting and fighting as I make my escape, running faster than I ever thought I could.

I shook my head again, trying to clear it. It's too late now. I remembered returning later, when darkness covered the village once more and there was nothing left but ash and bodies lining the streets. I can't believe I told him all of this.

"And just when I thought I was going to be okay again, everyone left. King left, you left. And I was all alone again!" I screamed at him, getting angrier by the second.

"Oh what a great boyfriend you must be! Leaving his girlfriend all alone for ten years! Never even bothering to contact her!" I yelled as I punched him right across the face, square in the jaw. He touched his cheek, surprised that I actually hit him.

Well, he deserved it!

Instead of fighting back, he pulled me in to a hug.

"I know I left you all alone. And I'm so, so sorry about your family. I had no idea. We've all committed terrible sins, every one of us. And I won't tell anyone, okay? So can you find it in your heart to forgive me?" He said, looking down.

Well, okay...

After we talked, we went back to the tavern. I met Elizabeth and Hawk, the talking pig. The tavern was busy, with people filtering in and out. It was Elizabeth's first time being a waitress and I decided to help out as well. For Meliodas's sake.

"I-I'm not sure if I'll be any good. My heart is pounding."She said nervously.

"Ah, I see. It's your first time. Could you just say that again, but slower?" He asked her. I hit him on the head.

His girlfriend is right here!

"Oh shut up!" I shook my head. "Don't focus on gathering information today. Just try your best at waitressing. I think the most important thing is to relax." I gave her some friendly advice.

"Hey, I thought I was giving the orders out here!" Meliodas grinned at me. I simply rolled my eyes.

Elizabeth was stumbling all over the place. She kept dropping food, spilling drinks, and running about. I, on the other hand, was pretty good at this. Elizabeth is lucky she's so cute. After a little while, Elizabeth got flustered and ran out. I sighed to myself as I nodded to Meliodas and walked outside after her.

The night sky was filled with stars that night, and a cool breeze blew through the grass. I saw Elizabeth sitting down, hugging her knees to her chest.

"You're doing great, you know." I sat down next to her.

"You think so?" She asked me, looking over.

"Definitely. You might be a little clumsy but there's a first time for everything. With more practice, you'll get even better." I comforted her. After a minute, my ears stuck up. There's something approaching us, and fast. After another minute, I stood up. I heard the tavern door open up behind us. Meliodas.

"Hi Meliodas." I said without looking at him. He come and stood next to me .

"Hey." He greeted us.

"I'm sorry. I'm supposed to be working now. But when I saw Mead and the villagers, it brought up a lot of memories I have of my father." She said. I nod my head in understanding. It took me a long time to get over what happened between me and my family, and I wasn't sure if I ever would.

"Is that right?" He said and looked up at the sky. Has he noticed it too?

"I just hope he's okay." Elizabeth said.

"Around here maybe?" Meliodas asked me.

"A little more to the left." I told him, looking up at the sky too.

"I know I shouldn't be doing this, it's no time to mope around feeling homesick. But I've seen so many good people oppressed by the Holy Knights. I know that they're suffering, and with a princess like me, their chances don't seem too good." She said.

"Well, you found me, didn't you? Come on, if you hadn't been trying everything you could to help your people and stumbled into my place, you'd have no chance at all." He said. I got up and stood by Meliodas. He's going to need some help.

"So you're saying, there's something meant for me to do?" She asked, looking up at him.

"Exactly." He smiled, facing forwards.

Here it comes.

I got in front of him.

"I'm going to help." I said. He nodded.

It looked almost like a star for a minute. A bright, bright star that was hurtling towards us at extreme speed. For a minute, a bit of fear pricked my heart. But then I remembered Meliodas standing behind me.

We lifted our hands up to catch it and quickly realized it was a spear.

King had a spear. I wonder how he's doing.

I felt my hand close around the handle and the force jolted us backwards over the cliff. I heard Elizabeth scream and felt my back against Meliodas's chest. We flew down the cliff and I heard Meliodas shout something in my ear.

"Get ready to jump." He shouted. We hit the ground and jumped so we didn't go underground. His shirt sleeve ripped off from the force and I felt the skin on my front arm begin to form cuts and scrapes.

That's what I get for not wearing sleeves.

We were blasted through buildings. Houses, towers, I could barely see.

"Again." He shouted and we jumped to turn around. We dug our heels into the ground to try and stop it until finally, it did. After it finally stopped, we spun around and threw it back as hard as we could. I ignored the pain in my back from being crushed up against his chest by buildings as I inspected my arm. It was red and a little bit bloody, but I would be okay. We sat on the ground for a minute.

My arm really hurts.

I looked forwards to see Elizabeth and Hawk running up to us.

"I'm so glad we found you!" Elizabeth shouted.

"Sir Meliodas! Miss Tsukiko! Was that spear from the Holy Knight that left his spear in the ground?" Elizabeth asked, catching her breath.

"Yeah" Meliodas said and flexed his bloodied hand.

"I think that's our cue to leave here as soon as we can." I said, standing up. I moved my reddened arm around.

It's sore but it still works.

"But...what if Vanya village is attacked again?" She asked.

"I think they'd be in a lot more danger if we were to stay." Meliodas answered. I nodded.

"It'd be nice if we could find someplace to hide out." Hawk said. I nodded again. Elizabeth told about the Forest of White Dreams. I don't really like the idea of going into a haunted forest, but I don't think I have a choice at this point.

"Okay!" Let's find another sin!" Meliodas said and we walked back to the tavern.

Maybe we'll find King there. Finding him will be bittersweet. I want to see him again but I also don't. I want to see him because it's been so long since I've seen my best friend. The reason I don't is because when we all were apart, I thought about everyone a lot. The strange thing is, I thought about him more than Meliodas. My boyfriend. I just think that it's a bit wrong that I thought about King more than Meliodas. Hmm...It seems I still have some thinking to do.